6 Essential Multi-Directional Speed Drills

Want to have quick feet, blazing speed and the ability to juke people out of their shoes? Fast feet and power do not happen overnight. They take a lot of repetition and hard work.

At Xceleration, our speed work starts with making our athletes efficient and powerful as they move from one plane of motion to the next. This allows them to focus more on their sport as their body moves quickly and powerfully and in a safe position.

Want to have quick feet, blazing speed and the ability to juke people out of their shoes? Fast feet and power do not happen overnight. They take a lot of repetition and hard work.

At Xceleration, our speed work starts with making our athletes efficient and powerful as they move from one plane of motion to the next. This allows them to focus more on their sport as their body moves quickly and powerfully and in a safe position.

You can get started today by doing these awesome speed drills.

Drill 1: Transition Ladder

How to:

Start by moving your feet back and forth fast while staying in place.

On a cue from your coach, jump, turn your body 90 degrees and land on one foot.

Immediately upon landing, drive that foot into the ground and jump back to starting position.

Repeat down the ladder.

Benefits:

Rapid change of direction, lower-body power, injury prevention

By landing on one foot (which you do all the time in sports) you are able to find and fix flaws with your landing.

Drill 2: Backwards Quick Feet to Reaction Cut

How to :

Start by moving your feet back and forth in an athletic position.

Move backwards just a little while moving your feet.

On your coach's cue, plant your outside foot and cut in the direction to which he points.

Land safely and immediately resume moving your feet back and forth in the athletic position.

Benefits:

Foot quickness, hip mobility, backpedal efficiency

Helps a with making cuts.

Great for DBs or any athlete who requires backpedaling. When you switch and make that cut, you will start to feel where your feet should be and the best way to make a strong cut to burn your opponents.

Drill 3: Shuffle/Slam/Sprint

How to:

Shuffle 5 yards quickly.

Slam a 12- to 14-pound med ball hard to your outside foot.

Shuffle 5 yards the opposite way and slam the ball again.

On the third slam, push the ball away and go right into an all-out sprint in the opposite direction.

Ben Boudro
- Fitness professional Ben Boudro is the owner of the #1 Personal Training Gym in Metro-Detroit, Xceleration Fitness. Ben owns a 10,000 sq. ft facility that helps change the lives of thousands of hard-working moms, dads and high-level athletes. Ben currently writes for several magazines such as Fitnes
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